Blowing-engine.



P. H. KANE.

BLOWING ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1907.

Patented June 7, 19 10.

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P. H. KANE.

' BLOWING ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1907 Patented Jun7,1910.

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P. H. KANE.

BLOWING ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6,1907.

960,556 Patented June 7,1910.

P. H. KANE.

BLOWING ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6,1907.

Patented June 7, 1910.

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PATRICK H. KANE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

BLOWING-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June '7, 1910.

Application filed May 6, 1907. Serial No. 372,112.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK H. KANE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Blowing-Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of blowing engines employed forsupplying compressed air to blast furnaces, and more especially toengines of this type having out let valves which open automatically whenthe pressure in the cylinder exceeds the pressure in the air reservoir.

The leading object of my invention is to improve the construction of theengine with a view of providing air inlets of large aggregate area inproportion to the size of the cylinder, thus permitting a free and ampleingress of the air, guarding against undue heating of the same andobtaining the maximum efficiency of the engine.

Further objects are to simplify the construction of the valve mechanismand reduce the cost of the same, and to improve the engine in otherrespects.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 4 sheets: Figure l is an endview of the engine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section of the same. Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sections inlines H and 55, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section ofthe outlet valve and piston rod, on an enlarged scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

A indicates the body of the engine-cylinder, B its heads secured theretoby bolts 7); C the piston and 0 the piston rod preferably arrangedaxially in the cylinder and passing through both its heads.

Each head B is provided near its periphery with an annular row of airinlet ports 6 and in order to render the head strong and yetcomparatively light, it is provided with an outwardly-extendingstifiening rim 1) arranged concentric with the piston rod, and radialstiffening webs or ribs 6 extending inwardly from said rim and arrangedmidway between adjacent air inlet ports 6 The inlet ports of each headare controlled .by a rotary or oscillating valve D consisting of a ringapplied to the inner side of the head and having an annular row of airinlet ports (Z spaced like the-corresponding inlet ports 6 of the headand adapted to register or break register therewith for permitting orpreventing admission of the external air to the cylinder. In thepreferred construction shown in the drawings, these valve-rings areseated in annular grooves d formed in the cylinder heads and confinedtherein by fixed retaining-plates E which are seated in recesses 6 6formed respectively in the inner sides of the heads and the ends of thecylinder-body A.

The central portion of each retaining plate is secured to the contiguouscylinder head by bolts or other fastenings 6 while the margin of theplate is clamped between the bottom of the recess 6 and the cylinderhead, the latter being provided at its inner edge with an annular flangee which extends into said recess and bears against the retaining plate,as shown in Fig. 3. These retaining plates have air-inlet ports 6 whichcoincide with the ports 5 of the cylinder-heads. The plates E whileconfining the valve-rings in their seats also serve to relieve themlargely from the pressure in the cylinder permitting them to operatemore freely. These valverings are fitted between the cylinder heads andthe retaining plates E with sufiicient looseness to turn freely, and inorder to minimize friction, balls or rollers f may be interposed betweenthe inner edges of the rings and the opposing walls of the grooves al asshown.

The inlet valves are oscillated in opposite directions by any suitablemechanism. In the construction shown in the drawings, the valves areprovided on their outer sides near their upper edges with actuating armsf which are connected by rods 9 with elbow levers 9 g which arealternately rocked in opposite directions by oppositely-disposed arms h,h secured to a horizontal rock shaft H, the last-named arms beingconnected with said elbow levers by rods 7?. The shaft II is rocked fromthe main engine-shaft, not shown, by any suitable or well-known means.

Centrally in each cylinder head is located an air outlet port or passage2' which is preferably concentric, with the piston rod and provided witha bushing i forming a seat for an outlet valve J. This valve is arrangedon the outer side of the adjacent cylinder-head and preferably of thedished form shown. It is provided with a marginal rim or flange 7'adapted to seat against the bushing '5 and a hollow stem 7' extendingoutwardly from the Valveand surrounding the piston rod 0, so as to beguided thereon. The outlet valves are arranged to reciprocate incylindrical cages K extending outwardly from the cylinder heads andinclosed by outlet hoods or-casings L having connections Z for the usualdischarge pipes, not shown, which lead to the customary reservoir.

heads,'as shown. These cages are provided in their cylinder wallswithair outlet passages ]a through which the compressed air passes from theinterior of the cages into the hoods L. The latter are provided withsuitable stuffing boxes M through which the piston rod 0 passes.

cap m, the barrel being closed at its outer end and provided in its wallwith air escape openings 0 .v In the useof the engine, the air in thehoods L and the barrels 0 is'under pressure, and to prevent leakage ofsuch 'air between the valve-stem j and the piston rod into the enginecylinder, each of said stems is provided with a suitable packingconsisting preferably of a split elastic ring p of metal embracing thepiston rod and seated in a recess p in the flanged front end of thevalve-stem, the ring being'confined in this recess by a cap 29 Thiselastic ring 'is sprung upon the piston rod so that it constantly tendsto contract producing a reliable air tight joint between the valve-stemand the pistonrod.

As shown by dotted lines in Fig.1, the rims b and webs b are interruptedor omitted at the top of the cylinder heads to permitof the necessaryplay of the valve-actuating arms 7. I 7

Q indicates springs applied to the piston rod between the flanged outerends of the valve-stems j and the closed ends of the barrels 0 andtending to close the outlet valves. The operation of the engine is asfollows,

assuming the reservoir to contain a certain quantity of compressed air:When the piston is at the left hand end of its stroke and begins tomove in the opposite direction, the left hand inlet valve D begins toopen and the right handinlet Valve and the right and left hand outletvalves J are fully closed, the'outlet valves being held in that positionby the springs g and the reservoir-pressure The hoods L and valve cagesK are preferably cast integral with 'the cylinder- As shown in Fig. thehoods are providedin their outer walls;

against their rear sides. As the piston moves toward the right, itcompresses the air in front of it until the pressure in the cylinderexceeds the pressure in the reservoir, when the right hand outlet valveis opened to the position shown in Fig. 3 and the compressed airdelivered into the reservoir. At the same time the piston has drawn airinto the cylinder on its opposite side through the left hand inletvalvewhich has meanwhile been opened. As the piston approaches the end of thelast-named stroke, the right hand outlet valve is moved toward its leftby its spring 9 and is fully closed by the time the piston reaches theend of said stroke. During this same right hand stroke of the piston,the left hand inlet valve has been fully closed. On the return or lefthand stroke of the piston, the right hand inlet valve begins to open toadmit air behind the piston and the air on the left side of the latteris compressed'until it exceeds the reservoir-pressure against the backof the closed left hand outlet valve, when this valve is opened and thecompressed air delivered into the reservoir, as before. As the pistonapproaches the end of said left hand stroke, the right hand inlet valvecloses and the left hand outlet valve is moved toward its seat, and bythe time the piston completes that stroke both of the last-mentionedvalves are fully closed.

To obtain the proper action of the engine, each inlet valve must openquickly just as the piston recedes from it, in order to insure anampleair supply; and when said valve is closed during the opposite stroke ofthe piston, it should remain closed until the piston fully completesthat stroke, in order to compress the air to the required degree. Toeffect this action of the inlet valves, the

inner short arms of the elbow levers g g are-arranged to assume asubstantially 'horizontal position and pass the dead center when thevalves are closed, as shown in connection with the lever g in Fig. 1.The inlet valves are by this arrangement'slightly oscillated while intheir closed position but not sufficiently to open them. When the innerarm of one or the other of the levers 9 g is rocked upwardly, 1 afterpassing above the dead center, it moves through'the effective part ofits are or stroke, rapidly opening the corresponding inlet valve and.

admitting a full'supply of airto the cylinder.

By controlling the air inlet ports in each end of the cylinder by asingle rotary or oscillatory valve arranged concentrically with thepiston rod or the cylinder-axis, the construction of the engine ismaterially simplified and reduced in cost, and a free and ample inletfor the air is at the same time insured, this construction andarrangement affording a very'large aggregate area of the inlet portswithout unduly increasing the diameter and length of the cylinder andwithout encroaching on or reducing the capacity of the cylinder.

Another important feature of the invention consists in arranging theoutlet valves J centrally in the cylinder heads and mounting them toslide on the piston rod. This construction, while permitting the use ofcomparatively large outlet ports, dispenses with separate guides for theoutlet valves, thus further simplifying the construction and lesseningthe cost of the engine.

While the invention is herein shown and described in connection with ahorizontal blowing engine, it is equally applicable to vertical engines.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a blowing engine, the combination of a cylinder having a headprovided centrally with an air outlet port and around said port with arow of air inlet ports, a valve controlling said outlet port, anoscillatory inlet valve controlling said inletports, and means foractuating said inlet valve, substantially as set forth.

2. In a blowing engine, the combination of a cylinder having a headprovided centrally with an air-outlet port and around said port with acircular row of air-inlet ports, a valve controlling said outlet port,an oscillatory annular inlet-valve surrounding said outlet-port andhaving a circular row of ports adapted to register with saidinlet-ports, and means for actuating said inlet valve, v

3. In a blowing engine, the combination of a cylinder having a headprovided with a row of air inlet ports arranged concentrically with thecylinder, a ported oscillatory valve-ring cooperating with said airinlet ports and applied to the inner side of said head, and a protectingplate covering the inner side of said valve-ring and having airpassages, substantially as set forth.

4. In a blowing engine, the combination of a cylinder having a headhaving an annular recess in its inner side and air inlet ports arrangedin the recessed portion of the head, a ported oscillatory valve-ringseated in said recess, a protect-ing plate covering said valve-ring andhaving air passages, and means for actuating the valve-ring,substantially as set forth.

5. In a blowing engine, the combination of a cylinder provided in itsend with a recess, a head secured to the end of the cylinder andprovided in its inner side with an annular groove or recess arrangedconcen; trically with the cylinder and air-inlet ports arranged in therecessed portion of the head, a ported valve-ring seated in the recessof the head, and a protecting plate covering said valve-ring and seatedin the recess of the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

6. In a blowing engine, the combination of a cylinder having each of itsheads provided with an annular row of air inlet ports, a portedvalve-ring applied to the inner side of each head and controlling itsports, and a protecting plate covering said valve-ring, and having itsmarginal port-ion clamped between the end of the cylinder and said head,and means for securing the inner portion of the protecting plate to thecylinder head, substantially as set forth.

7. In a blowing engine, the combination of a cylinder having a headprovided centrally with an air-outlet port, and around said outlet portwith a row of air inlet-ports, valves controlling said inlet and outletports, a discharge-hood or connection ap plied to the outer side of saidcylinder head and communicating with said outlet port, said head havinga stiffening rim extending outwardly therefrom and stiifening' websextending from said rim to said hood, substantially as set forth.

8. In a blowing engine, the combination of a cylinder having a headprovided centrally with an air outlet port and around said port with arow of air inlet-ports, a piston in the cylinder having a rod passingthrough said outlet port, a reciprocating valve controlling said outletport and guided on the piston-rod, and an oscillatory inlet-valvecontrolling said inlet ports, substantially as set forth.

9. In a blowing engine, the combination of a cylinder having a headprovided with an air outlet port, a piston having a rod passing throughsaid port, a valve controlling said port and guided on the piston-rod, adischarge hood or connection arranged on the outer side of said head andcommunicating with said port, said hood being provided opposite saidvalve with an opening of suflicient size to admit the same, and a coverapplied to said opening, substantially as set forth.

10. In a blowing engine, the combination of a cylinder having a headprovided with an air-outlet port, a piston having a rod passing throughsaid port, a discharge hood or connection carried by the head andprovided opposite said port with a barrel having an air-escape opening,a reciprocating outlet valve controlling said port and surrounding thepiston rod, said valve having a hollow stem guided on the piston rod andfitted in said barrel, and a contractible packing ring interposedbet-ween said valve stem and the piston rod, substantially as set forth.

vigitness my hand this 3d day of May, 190

PATRICK H. KANE. Witnesses:

C. F. GEYER, E. M. GRAHAM,

